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A Language Without Words

January 13, 2018

Hans Hartung, a born German, was expelled from Nazi-era Germany for his art, fled to Paris where he eventually joined the French army, and lost his leg and went on to earn a gold cross for his military service. His art strictly avoids narrative, and yet the violence and control thereof imbued from the inevitable chaos of war and his role as a soldier in it come through in his smokey, scratchy, spontaneous-meets-technique (to the minutest detail) canvases.

Scraping paint away to reveal layers beneath, inventing unique painting tools— including rakes, vacuum cleaners with reverse suction, even insecticide spray guns— to create explosive, mood-driven textures on an entirely flat surface were innovations that would be infinitely mimicked to the point that their originator was eventually forgotten, until now.

office spoke with Perrotin curator, Matthieu Poirier, about Hartung’s power, parallel universes, and thrill-seeking. The show will be on view at Perrotin Gallery and Nahmad Contemporary until February 18th.

Why this show? Why now?

Because I think it’s never too late? It’s been a few decades that he’s been forgotten. He became really well known and obvious for everyone, people wanted to see something else. That’s really how it happens— art history, the history of reception, is very cyclical. The most important thing is all the artists that have been influenced by him today, we think about art historians, curators, critics, who basically rediscover things, most of the time the most important ones are the artist themselves— artists of other generations that take a deeper look at artists that have come before them for some time, the beauty of things that are a bit obvious for some people, just look at the works, get influenced, pick things.

Think about Wolfgang Tillmans, think about Katharina Grosse, Christopher Wool, pick one, sometimes they say a lot about it, they promote it, “Oh I’ve been influenced by Hans Hartung, he’s an amazing painter, etc.,” and some just pick ideas and make them live longer in their own works. You know an artist is historical when he has influence. For me, when I went into his former studio at the foundation and when I discovered those amazing works, they were not only amazing because they had an impact on me as strong as when I first discovered Rothko, Pollock, but because they resonated in the contemporary era. That’s what explains his importance. Consider why something is important— because you like it? because it’s nice? because it's good-looking? No. Because it had a huge influence, including on Hartung himself— so that’s how it works, and that’s why I think it’s a good moment.

Art has become hyper-political, do you feel that formalism like this has politics?

No, not at all! To be honest, that’s what I love about his work. You wouldn’t say that Pollock is political, you wouldn’t say that Rothko is political— it’s pure painting. How Kandinski could be political… or let’s say Radchenko clearly was working for a Socialist program, okay, that’s political. Picasso was political twice in his life. Art is a parallel world, it’s a parallel universe to me, it’s basically something that evolves in parallel to the real, to your everyday life, to the politics, to the problems, it’s something basically that’s supposed to elevate you— without dogma, without belief, not like religion, and the fact that Hartung wanted to keep away from all this is very fine to me. I think art can have a strong connection to actual facts, but, you know, what’s the connection of the person elected chief of state and the color of the background of his paintings, there is no connection.

Just think of it as a parallel universe. I’ve been a scholar of abstract art for more than fifteen years, and I have a deep belief in this universe that is without words, without obvious image, but has a lot to say, and a lot of emotions to give to people that are sometimes beyond words. I only use words because it is my job as an art historian— I’ve been teaching at the Sorbonne for years, and I’ve been trying to find the words to explain, and to do a translation with words of a purely visual language.

Pierre Schneider, a French critic in the 1960s, said that the only purpose of an art critic was to find the good words so that the spectator stays long enough in front of the work, so the poison of the work can enter the veins. So that’s the whole point, you have to find the words so people won’t leave, and it will give them a few seconds longer so that they can be infused, penetrated somehow by the visual elements. That’s a deep belief of mine, it’s almost metaphysical.

How does a Hans Hartung piece speak to you and what does it say?

It’s more, as I said, a language without words. The idea of the landscape of phenomena is very important to me. It’s not a regular landscape. It’s a place freed from human beings where natural elements and phenomena— hence the title of the show, Constant Storm— can happen.

It’s a kind of a pictorial storm that I wanted to show because that’s what I feel, and that’s what I’ve been talking a lot about. Before he lost his leg in the second World War, Hartung was a swimmer, not like for athletic training, but an extreme swimmer, he really enjoyed, for example, swimming in the sea at night— he almost drowned, I think two times, because he went too far and didn’t know where the coast was. He would climb volcanoes and almost die in the process— experiences that you don’t do, very dangerous.

A thrill-seeker!

Yes, he was a thrill-seeker, that’s the perfect word. Of course when he lost his legs that’s a huge handicap, we don’t realize that. He couldn’t swim as much, he was swimming but in his pool. There’s a pool in the foundation that he designed, and he designed it before James Turrel did these sky spaces, Hans Hartung designed his house as a sky space, with an opening to the sky with the sun, the clouds, even the birds passing by, it was the same year as the first sky space by James Turrel at PS1, 1976. Hartung built the plans almost 5 years before. He has this very strong relationship to nature all the time, not nature only as a visual element, but nature as something that you can become immersed in— it’s all about immersion.

In the water, in the forest, in the clouds, in the war, in the violence, it’s all about the transcription and things you’ve experienced with your own body, it’s an embodied experience of nature, as well as his own nature. He was an existentialist, which was really in the 1950s. There’s nothing political about that, it’s more metaphysical— existence without religion being immersed in the real, with human connections, and with nature being reconnected to yourself.

For Lovers Only

August 22, 2019

We all see and understand love in our own personal way. In this segment love’s narrator, Maresa "Dread" Singh, the maker of the photography and film documentary series Queer: For Lovers Only, connects with her own translation of love by representing the LGBTQ community in her latest art exhibition.

“To me, love is the ability to show another individual care and support, to show them they matter in this world—in your world. The concept of loving people is easy to me. However, so many people struggle with it. But honestly, love is freedom—and the moment you show it, it’s such a beautiful feeling,” said Dread, speaking to office about her recent art show in Brooklyn.

Dread's exhibition took place a few weeks ago inside a cozy showroom filled with over 100 people. At the gathering, Dread’s photo series hung on display alongside a screening room for her short film, both paying homage to queer love. The series accentuates the individual and one’s own intimate encounters with love. The film and photographs were vital for the viewers to completely understand Dread’s depiction. Both art mediums complemented each other, similar to the way in which people bring forth love from one another.

Dread’s message is clear: Love is expressive—but can often be difficult to understand. Queer: For Lovers Only renders images that some know only as a feeling.

office sat down with Dread to talk about her latest project. Check out the interview below.

Preferred pronouns?

She/Her.

Explain the concept behind Queer: For Lovers Only.

Queer: For Lovers Only is a visual art project capturing queer individuals and couples within our community discussing love, relationships, being single and self-love. Over 25 people were captured in the form of photographic prints and featured in a short documentary film. The purpose of this series is to display representation of the Queer community in regards to all forms of love. My goal is to shed light on how and who we love, in hopes of allowing understanding and unity.

Why did you create this project?

I created this project to display representation of other queer lovers within my community. I like creating projects based around vulnerable topics, and love within the queer community is something that needs more representation. I think love between queer individuals is a bit different than heteronormative love, as it challenges gender roles. And I wanted to offer some understanding to people outside my community.

Are you part of the LGBTQ community as well?

I am indeed. I identify as a queer lesbian.

Where did you capture your images?

Honestly, the majority of the images were captured on my roof in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn. I rented out a studio in Long Island City for a few shoots and also shot on a secluded beach near Rockaway, Queens.

On one of your Instagram posts featuring a clip for your film, part of your caption said, “side note: this isn’t a documentary about couples. it’s just about queer ppl who love.” Can you talk more about this?

Yes, of course. For some reason many couples kept contacting me to be a part of this series. I just wanted it to be known—this is not a documentary based solely on couples. Individuals not in a romantic relationship (such as myself) also love on a daily basis and are capable of giving and receiving love. I wanted to include all aspects of love: romantic love, self-love, past love, future love, etc.

Does the film feel like a separate entity to the photography series? What's their relationship to one another?

The film enhances the photographs. With photographs sometimes, we as viewers create our own stories. However, the film allows for a better understanding of the people captured in the series, as they are able to express themselves and tell their own stories. This project could not have been completed with just the film or just the photographs. I think they are both equally as important, and they really allow the viewers to understand what this series is about.

What was it like at the event/screening?

The event was incredible. I always have major anxiety the night of any solo exhibit, and this was no different. But so many people came out to show support, and the responses I received on the film and art were very positive and motivating. I was nervous, because this was my first time exhibiting at this particular venue. But the turn out was more than I expected, and everyone was so kind and loving.

Love is…

When I think of love, I don’t necessarily think of romantic love. That’s just one type of love. There is also the love I share with my friends, my family, the love I share with myself. I am absolutely in love with my friends, and I don’t think being in love with people always has to be a sexual relationship. To me, love is the ability to show another individual care and support, to show them they matter in this world—in your world. The concept of loving people is easy to me. However, so many people struggle with it. But honestly, love is freedom—and the moment you show it, it’s such a beautiful feeling.

Look Straight, Don't Smile

August 19, 2019

“While sitting in front of the camera and keeping a straight face, I was wondering how something so dull could be ‘tricked’ in order to put more excitement into the whole process,” says photographer Max Siedentopf.

In his latest photo series, Siedentopf injects cheekiness into a process that is otherwise violently boring: taking passport photos. The regulations of passport photography make it seemingly impossible to incorporate any kind of self-expression, so Siedentopf goes about challenging those rules in a ridiculously entertaining way.

In this series, the photographer shows the generic passport photo—the unsmiling, straight-faced mugshots of his subjects. On the other side of it, we see the rest of the photo where silly and eccentric poses, props and people are used. In one unassuming passport photo of a man, the series subsequently unveils two vacuums suctioned onto his nipples. Siedentopf shocks his viewers while keeping things unavoidably amusing. You cannot help scrolling from picture to picture, breath baited while each quirky scenario unfolds.

In terms of finding his subjects, Siedentopf used a “wild mix” of friends and randoms—adding to the casual and erratic feel of the series. In a world where news and everyday life seems to get more sinister by the day, Siedentopf injects humor into the mundane routine of everyday life.

Affordable Fine Art

August 15, 2019

Making it as an artist without a trust fund or a sugar daddy has never been easy. And as the costs of oat milk and like, basic healthcare, only continue to rise, now more than ever we all need to be getting paid for our work. But among creative circles, it’s no secret that the art world is plagued with low wages and exposure as payment.

Which is crazy, considering how fundamental art is to our lives. Kyle Bradley realized this back when he was dealing and selling fine art photographs to interior design firms. He was able to facilitate actual payment for artists, but wanted to connect more directly with his peers. “I felt like long term what would be cooler and more fulfilling, and create more value, would be connecting the artists I was working with to people like me and my friends, as opposed to high net-worth individuals,” he told office.

So the 26-year-old Chicago native came up with publishing open edition fine art posters––the printing process of which allows him to sell his pieces at an approachable price point for the people he wants to reach. Each poster is $40, and he splits the profits 50/50 with the artists behind them. Partnering with emerging and established artists alike, so far Bradley’s printed the works of people like Tim Barber and Jean-Vincent Simonet.

“It’s so fulfilling, it’s so awesome to be able to pay artists money, especially when you know they’re not doing well financially and have bills to pay and are trying to get their MFA, and 5 grand would mean so much to them,” he said. “I really want to drive people toward an option that’s more fine art-driven than design-driven like Society 6 or art.com, or any other frankly bullshit wall decor.” In future print runs, Bradley hopes to work with a more diverse range of artists––from all over the world and of all different backgrounds and levels of training. And you can peruse Nava's current stock, here.